1. Homestake Mine starts operation - May 19, 1877 marks the date when the Homestake Mine, one of the largest gold mines in the United States, started its operation in Lead, South Dakota.

2. South Dakota becomes a state - On May 19, 1889, South Dakota became the 40th state in the United States after being admitted along with North Dakota, Montana, and Washington.

3. Michael J. Fitzmaurice Medal of Honor - On May 19, 1971, Michael J. Fitzmaurice, a South Dakota native, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism in the Vietnam War. He sacrificed himself to protect his platoon from an enemy attack.

4. Wounded Knee Massacre - On December 29, 1890, Chief Spotted Elk and his followers were massacred by the US Army in the Wounded Knee Massacre. However, the events leading to the massacre started on May 19, 1890, when a band of Lakota Sioux performed their Ghost Dance.

5. Pyle's Raid - On May 19, 1945, I-415, a ship carrying weapons and ammunition, was hit by a Japanese suicide bomber's attack while sailing along the Okinawa coast. The explosion killed 45 sailors and wounded 36. Two days later, on May 21, 1945, a 31-plane raid, led by Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle, targeted the Japanese mainland to retaliate against the suicide bomber attack. Captain Don Pyle, a South Dakota native, lead the strike from his B-25 bomber. The strike hit several key targets and significantly impacted Japanese morale.